Meperidine Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 30, 2025.

Applies to meperidine: injection solution.

Other dosage forms:

• oral solution, oral syrup, oral tablet

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress while you are receiving this medicine. This is to make sure that the medicine is working properly, and to allow your doctor to check for any unwanted effects.

Do not use this medicine if you are using or have used a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (eg, Eldepryl®, Marplan®, Nardil®, Parnate®) in the past 2 weeks. Using these medicines together may cause unwanted effects, such as confusion, agitation, restlessness, stomach or intestinal symptoms, a sudden high temperature, an extremely high blood pressure, or convulsions.

Symptoms of an overdose include extreme dizziness or weakness, slow heartbeat or breathing, seizures, trouble breathing, and cold, clammy skin. Call your doctor right away if you notice these symptoms.

This medicine will add to the effects of alcohol and other CNS depressants (medicines that can make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for allergies or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, other prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your doctor before taking any of the medicines listed above while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may cause sleep-related breathing problems (eg, sleep apnea, sleep-related hypoxemia). Your doctor may decrease your dose if you have sleep apnea (stop breathing for short periods during sleep) while using this medicine.

This medicine may be habit-forming. If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. Call your doctor for instructions.

Using narcotics for a long time can cause severe constipation. To prevent this, your doctor may direct you to take laxatives, drink a lot of fluids, or increase the amount of fiber in the diet. Be sure to follow the directions carefully, because continuing constipation can lead to more serious problems.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur when you get up suddenly from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help lessen this problem. Also, lying down for a while may relieve the dizziness or lightheadedness.

This medicine may make you dizzy, drowsy, confused, or disoriented. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or not alert.

Before having any kind of surgery (including dental surgery) or emergency treatment, tell the medical doctor or dentist in charge that you are using this medicine. Serious unwanted effects can occur if certain medicines are given together with meperidine injection.

Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, a fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there. These may be symptoms of a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Your risk may be higher if you also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin levels in your body.

If you have been using this medicine regularly for several weeks or longer, do not suddenly stop using it without checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are using before stopping it completely. This may help prevent worsening of your condition and reduce the possibility of withdrawal symptoms, such as abdominal or stomach cramps, anxiety, fever, nausea, runny nose, sweating, tremors, or trouble with sleeping.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant may cause neonatal withdrawal syndrome in your newborn babies. Tell your doctor right away if your baby has an abnormal sleep pattern, diarrhea, a high-pitched cry, irritability, shakiness or tremors, weight loss, vomiting, or fails to gain weight.

Using too much of this medicine may cause infertility (unable to have children). Talk with your doctor before using this medicine if you plan to have children.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Common side effects of meperidine

Some side effects of meperidine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Serious side effects of meperidine

Along with its needed effects, meperidine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking meperidine:

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking meperidine:

Symptoms of overdose

• bluish lips or skin
• change in consciousness
• decreased awareness or responsiveness
• loss of consciousness
• severe sleepiness
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

See also:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to meperidine: compounding powder, injectable solution, intravenous solution, oral syrup, oral tablet.

General adverse events

The most frequently reported adverse reactions have included lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, and sweating.^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Frequency not reported: Respiratory depression, respiratory arrest^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Frequency not reported: Serotonin syndrome, hyperexcitability, convulsions, weakness, headache, tremor, involuntary muscle movements (e.g. muscle twitches, myoclonus), delirium, dizziness, drowsiness, fainting, neurotoxicity, lightheadedness^[Ref]

Therapeutic doses of this drug have precipitated unpredictable, severe, and occasionally fatal reactions in patients who have received MAOIs within 14 days of receiving this drug. The mechanism of this reaction is unclear, but may be related to preexisting hyperphenylalaninemia. Reactions have included coma, severe respiratory depression, cyanosis, and hypotension. IV hydrocortisone or prednisolone have been used to treat severe reactions, with IV chlorpromazine used in cases exhibiting hypertension and hyperpyrexia. The usefulness and safety of narcotic antagonists is unknown.

Neurotoxicity associated with increased concentrations of active metabolite have occurred. Reactions have included a range of excitatory effects including tremor, hallucinations, seizures, coma, and mood changes.^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Frequency not reported: Mood changes (e.g. euphoria, dysphoria), agitation, transient hallucinations and disorientation, confusion, dependence, anxiety, nervousness^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Frequency not reported: Severe hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, syncope, shock, cardiac arrest, circulatory depression, flushing, tachycardia, bradycardia, palpitations, hypotension, hypertension^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Frequency not reported: Wheel and flare over the vein with IV injection, hypersensitivity reactions, anaphylaxis, histamine release leading to hypotension and/or tachycardia, sweating, flushing, and pruritus^[Ref]

Local

• Frequency not reported: Sensory-motor paralysis, phlebitis, injection site pain, local tissue irritation and induration following subcutaneous injection^[Ref]

Inadvertent injection about a nerve trunk may result in sensory-motor paralysis which is usually transitory. Phlebitis has been reported following IV injection.^[Ref]

Other

• Frequency not reported: Vertigo, hypothermia^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Frequency not reported: Urinary retention, micturition difficulties, decreased libido, renal colic, anuria^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Frequency not reported: Dry mouth, constipation, biliary tract spasm, nausea, vomiting, decreased gastric emptying^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Frequency not reported: Pruritus, urticaria, other skin rashes, sweating^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Frequency not reported: Muscle twitching, muscle rigidity^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Frequency not reported: Adrenal insufficiency, androgen deficiency^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Frequency not reported: Biliary spasm, choledochoduodenal sphincter spasm^[Ref]

Renal

• Frequency not reported: Antidiuretic effect^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Visual disturbances, dry eye, pupillary constriction, miosis, decreased corneal reflex, mydriasis^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Frequency not reported: Anorexia^[Ref]

Frequently asked questions

• What is pethidine used for?

Further information

Meperidine side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer